The Princess of Wales has cemented her status as one of the most stylish royals.
Ever since she married into the royal family back in 2011, Princess Kate has proved her style credentials time and time again, perfecting both royal engagement fashion and more relaxed, off-duty looks.
Her style has naturally evolved through the years to reflect her own personal tastes, as well as changing trends and styles. Since becoming the Princess of Wales, the royal mother-of-three has made several noticeable changes to her wardrobe.
Opting for a more sophisticated and demure aesthetic, Kate has traded her above-the-knee dresses for chic midi dresses, swapped out opaque black tights in favour of their nude counterpart, and replaced her beloved platform heels with classic pumps and stilettos.
In recent years, the 43-year-old appears to have subtly embraced a handful of Gen Z trends, ensuring that her wardrobe feels fresh and current.
Eagle-eyed royal fans may have noticed that Kate has incorporated playful oversized bows into her wardrobe, as well as several gorpcore pieces, wide-leg trousers and cottagecore-influenced blouses and dresses – all of which have received the Gen Z stamp of approval.
Fashion editor and expert Lauren Bulla tells HELLO!: “It’s clear Kate is leaning toward more Gen Z relevant ensembles, possibly to draw a more youthful intrigue to the royals. Certainly to remain fashionably relevant in today’s fast moving micro-trend world, all whilst remaining effortlessly elegant.
“Her looks are more likely to include bright colourways, exaggerated velvet alice bands. While jumping back and forth between the currently popular wide leg trouser and pointed heel combination, as well as the soon-to-reemerge skinny jean silhouette.”
She added: “Gently nodding toward ‘gorpcore’ and outdoorsey pairings, her affinity for neutral toned cagoules is apparent. Kate has also presented a youthful stylistic variety alongside updated newsboy hats and exaggerated bow details. All said, these updates to the royal’s wardrobe absolutely pave a way to become more relatable and relevant to Gen Z perspectives.”
Discover Kate’s best Gen Z-inspired looks below…
© Getty ImagesStatement bows
Playful, oversized bows have quickly become a mainstay of Gen-Z fashion. From whimsical, ultra-feminine bow motifs to maximalist twisted ribbons on hats and dresses, the rippling bow has quickly seeped its way into wardrobes and interiors.
Kate has given the bow trend a dazzling regal makeover on several occasions. In March this year, the royal opted for a blazing red coat dress by Catherine Walker which she paired with a matching hat by Gina Foster.
The vibrant garment featured a giant bow on the front, positioned at an angle for a playful touch.
© Getty ImagesBows were also front and centre at last year’s Trooping the Colour. Both Kate and her daughter Princess Charlotte opted for coordinating frocks with eye-catching bows.
Echoing her daughter’s nautical outfit, Kate donned a pencil-cut dress from Jenny Packham featuring a black-and-white striped bow stitched to one shoulder.
© Getty ImagesGorpcore
The 43-year-old is known for her love of the outdoors and its healing powers. She’s also renowned for her sporty prowess and is said to love tennis, skiing and running.
Over the years, she has carried out numerous outdoor engagements which have called for wet-weather gear, sturdy boots and padded coats – wardrobe staples which form the basis of the ever-popular gorpcore trend.
In 2021, Kate was a gorpcore trendsetter as she took part in a land yachting session on West Sands beach. For the coastal adventure, the royal donned a padded navy jacket, indigo jeans, a pink Fair Isle jumper and a camo baseball cap.
© Getty ImagesWide-leg trousers
While skinny jeans and body-gliding leggings were everywhere in the early noughties, they’ve since been replaced with capacious, baggy jeans and wide-leg trousers.
It’s a trend that Kate has incorporated into her wardrobe, primarily manifesting itself in chic, flared trouser suits.
Just this week, the Princess turned heads in a moss-hued Victoria Beckham suit featuring a pair of 70s-inspired, high-waisted trousers.
© Getty ImagesCottagecore
The whimsical cottagecore trend is showing no signs of slowing down. Centred on ultra-feminine silhouettes, vintage florals and ruffles galore, the aesthetic has proved a hit with Princess Kate over the summer months – and we’re totally here for it.
In April this year, the royal whipped out a countryside-chic ensemble featuring the most romantic ruffled blouse, while in 2022, Kate was a vision at Wimbledon in a retro-inspired polka dot dress with puffed sleeves, corset detailing and a flattering collar.
© Getty Images
© Getty ImagesMini bags
The resurgence of Y2K trends ushered in the revival of the teeny handbag. Kate appeared to embrace this bag trend back in 2023, opting for smaller designs with dainty straps.
During a visit to Wimbledon in 2023, for instance, the royal was seen carrying a buttery soft suede bag in clotted cream, which closely resembled the beloved baguette of the 90s.
More recently, she’s been seen carrying the miniature Aspinal Mayfair bag in both black and lilac, as well as Strathberry’s mosaic nano in vanilla, which completed her carol concert look back in December 2023.
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